Experiencing Severe Pain in Old Surgery Scar - Advice?

Hello, everyone or anyone.. I am toally new to this, so please, bare with me! I had my colon removed about 10 years ago, I was 19. I had 2 colostomies and 2 Ileostomies. It was a long rough road! Fast forward to now- For the first time I am having HORRIBLE pain on my old battle scar. I have gone to the dr. saw a specialist had tests done and nothing. My chiro was able to rub it (which
ought me to tears) and that helped for a very short time. It is obviously scar tissue??? But it is so painful! I feel like I am losing my mind. For the last 24 hours it has been non stop, waking me up at night, Anyone else have this? Any tips to help? Please and thanks! <

>

In my experience doctors always say that a pain they cannot diagnose is ``scar tissue``. Indeed it may not be. I have a great deal of chronic pain and I found that by persevering, not taking ``no`` for an answer, researching and getting proper testing can sometimes lead you to the answer. You have not been very specific as to where exactly your pain is. Please share. Also what kind of testing you have had done.

Hello emilyrose.
Welcome to the MAO site and thank you for your post. I agree entirely with HarleyDoll that you should not take the diagnosis of 'scar tissue' at face value as the pain may not be due to that. However, even if scar tissue is the problem, it should not be dismissed as if there is nothing that can be done for you.
If you think about it, scar tissue is usually where the body tries to heal itself by growing tissue to seal a wound. This 'growth' can and does sometimes touch upon surrounding nerves which can cause the sort of pain you are talking about. I do not want to create anxiety with my post but very rarely the process of scar-tissue healing goes wrong and it does not stop when the healing is effectively done. This produces more scar tissue than is necessary and, could therefore be more accurately described as a 'growth'.
I only know this only because my very good friend died from the condition, when the scar tissue would not stop growing after surgery and eventually stopped his vital organs from functioning. This is an extremely rare condition but I cannot see any reason why the principle of over-growth should not also apply in many more cases but on a much smaller scale. This might account for the pain some people get as opposed to the irritation which is 'normal' with scar tissue.
I have often wondered why the pain from my scar tissue has become worse now I am older (Many years after I sustained the actual injuries). It sort of accompanies the arthritis that is in my bones, where they too have sustained past injuries. I fancy that there is probably a condition similar to arthritis but affecting the damaged tissues surrounding the bones which gets worse with the aging process. One day I expect someone will recognise it and have it named after themselves, as if no one else knew about it before!!
Best wishes
Bill

Hi Emily i,m with Bill and think it might be nerve regeneration pain, but to last so long is odd,i,ve had two surgeries for my ostomy and after the second one the pain along the scar lasted much longer and my surgeon said it was nerves regenerating and to take tylynol.